Clothes-pounder



(No Model.)

G. G. BRONNER. ULOTEES POUNDER.

No. 417,209. Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

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WITNESSES: l/V l/E/VTOI? ATTORNEY.

Nv PETERS. vlwmtimo m her. Washington. D c.

Z W why M4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE llR-ONNER, OF 3ERL1N, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'lO LA FAYETTE HATCH, OF LAMONT, MICHIGAN.

CLO-THES-POUNDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,209, dated December 10, 1889..

A plication filed March 12, 1888. Serial No. 267,041. .No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. BRONNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berlin, in the county of Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in VashingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an 'improx-ement in that class of washing-machines commonly known as clothes-pounders."

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same, and Fig. 3 is a vertica section on the line :10 0c of Fig. 2.

Similar letters refer to similar parts thro u gh' out the several views.

A is a cone-shaped case, made of tin or other suitable material.

Bis a socket secured to the apex of the cone for the reception of a handle.

O and O are deflectors attached to the sides of the cone.

0 C, &c., are tubes, also attached to the sides of the cone and extending upward into the deflectors, and acting the double purpose, first, of a passage-way for the water from the tub into the deflectors, and, second, of guards to prevent the water from being thrown through the apertures in the cone out over the floor.

D is a diaphragm inserted into and secured to the walls of the cone.

E is a cylindrical wall depending from the lower side of the diaphragm.

F the, are apertures through the wall of the cone above the plane of the diaphragm for the escape of air and water when the pounder is brought down upon the clothes and for the entrance of air when the pounder is raised from the clothes. F F &c., are similar openings in the wall of the cone below the diaphragm. F F", &c., are similar openings in the cylindrical wall E, and F F, 850., are openings through the diaphragm leading from the space below the diaphragm to the air-chambcr above.

In constructing my pounder I form the conical body A as shown and attach at its apex a socket or ferrule B, which I make of sufficient length to extend below the apex to the level of the diaphragm D, to which I attach it for the purpose, first, of holding the socket firmly in position, and, second, of sup porting the center of the diaphragm. I make two lines of apertures F and F" through the wall of the cone, the lower line being about one-half of the distance between the base of thecone and the point of attaching the diaphragm and the second line a short distance above the diaphragm and directly above the lower line. I then insertthe diaphragm I) between the two lines of apertures, as above indicated, securing the outer edge to the body of the cone by means of a groove turned in the walls of the cone for the reception of the diaphragm, by soldering, or by anyother practical means, and the center to the lower end of the socket E. Near the outer rim of this diaphragm I make a series of apertures F F, &c., arranged to exactly correspond with the apertures F and F" in the wall of the cone, which open into the air-ohamber above the diaphragm. To the lower surface of the diaphragm, just inside of the apertures F F, &c., I attach a cylindrical rim E, which depends downward to a plane a short distance above the lower rim of the cone, the objects of this rim being, first, to prevent the clothes from coming directly in contact with the surface of the diaphragm; second, to act with the rim of the cone in depressing the clothes, and, third, to form two air-chambers on the face of the diaphragm. I makea series of apertures F, &c., arranged to exactly correspond with the apertures through the wall of the cone and througlrthe diaphragm, each set of said apertures'1 6., the apertures through the depending rim E, through the diaphragm, and through the side walls of the cone being placed directly in line, or as nearly so as possible, so that water and air forced through the apertures in the depending wall D and through the diaphragm will have a direct course outward through the apertures in the walls of the cone. On the outside of the cone, directly over each pair of apertures F, I place a narrow flat guard or tube 0, somewhat wider than the apertures, and long enough so that its ends will extend a short distance beyond the outer line of the apertures F. This guard or tube is formed with a solid back and sides,

but open at. both ends, the lower-end being a short distance above the lower rim of the cone, about half-way from the rim of the cone to the apertures F, and the upper end opening into deflecting-caps C on, the cone. The space between the backs of these guards and the wall of the cone should be about onehalf of the diametrical size of the apertures through the wall of the cone. The objects of these guards are, first, to retard the escape of water from the cone sufficiently to utilize a portion of the compression of the air in the air-chamber in the cone above the diaphragm as a cushion between the surface of the water in the tub and the lower surface of the diaphragm; second, to prevent the water forced through the apertures from spattering over the floor or the personof the operator, and, third, to act as a wallet resistance for the water to come in contact with in a forcible manner, so as to transform it into a foamy suds. Above these guards or tubes 0 I place deflecting-caps Qwith mouths depending outward and downward over and below the upper ends of the guards or tubes, leaving an open chamber above the ends of the tubes. The objects of these deflectors are, first, to form a capover the tubes to prevent thewater forced through the tubes from being forced upward; second, to act as a deflector to force thewater that passes through the tubes, both from the lower end of the tube and through the apertures in the wall of the cone, back intothe tub in a diverging course, so as to agitatethe water in thetub for some distance around the rini of the cone, and, third, to act with the tubes in agitating the water and reducing it to a foamy sudsy The upper portion of the cone is so sealed as to form an air-tight chamber above the apertures F in which the air will be compressed and act as a cushion for the downward stroke of the pounder, and also will force the water out through the apertures in the wall of the cone and facilitate the reducing of the same to a sudsy foam.

The several apertures in the wall of the cone, in the diaphragm, and in the depending rim form passage-Ways for the ingress of air when the pounder is raised from the water, to prevent raising the clothes and water from the tub by atmospheric pressure or suction.

I am aware that prior to my invention funnel-shaped clothes-pounders have been made with air-tubes extending from the base of the pounder into the upper end of the air-chamber. I therefore do not claim this as any part of my invention; nor do I claim that the use of a diaphragm or a depending rim is new; but, i

Having thus fully described my invention, what I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A washing-machine consisting of a conical body provided with a socket for the handle, a diaphragm, and a cylindricalwall depending from the diaphragm, in combination with apertures through the depending Wall, the diaphragm, and the wall of the cone or body of the machine, said aperturesbeing in .sets and each set in line, a tube or guard attached center to the outside of the body over the apertures therein, said tubes being open at both ends, the upper end opening into defleoting;caps, and deflecting-caps attached to the body of the machine directly over the tubes, with their mouths projecting overand below the ends of the tubes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I, r I

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two" witnesses.

GEORGE o. nR oNNhii. [n 5.] itnesses:

ALBERT NORRIS, JOHN MEAD. 

